U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,599, dated Nov. 15, 1983, to Kari E. O. Bos describes a dry mix composition which may be added directly to boiling water to form a sauce or gravy substantially free of lumps. The dry mix contains, as essential ingredients, a thickening agent such as starch or flour, and maltodextrin, with the mix containing a weight ratio of maltodextrin to thickening agent of at least 1:1.
This mix is totally different from the present invention in that it is not designed for addition to pan drippings, but rather to water only. There is no reference in the patent to the presence of pan drippings, nor to the problem of avoiding fat separation in a fat/water system, subjected to high heat and cooling. It should be noted that the product of the present invention can remain standing for a significant period, prior to actual consumption, at either a high or low temperature, without lumping or fat separation taking place.
The Bos patent makes reference to the use of a small amount of added fat. In Example 1 of the patent, 8% by weight fat is present in the dry mix, based on the weight of the dry mix. However, the dry mix is only about one-sixth (1/6) or less of the final gravy composition, the remainder being water. Thus in the final gravy, the fat content is less than about 1.2% by weight. By contrast, in the present invention, a typical ratio of ingredients in the final composition may be about 2 tablespoons of pan drippings per cup of water and about 3 tablespoons of dry mix. The pan drippings are about 50% fat, typically. This calculates out to a fat content of about 4% or more, much higher than the fat content in a gravy of the Bos patent, and typical of home flour-based gravies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,090 to Bohrmann et al, dated 11/29/83, also describes a dry mix composition prepared for ultimate consumption by adding the mix to boiling water. The patent claims a specific thickening agent, namely a potato starch, said to have retarded thickening properties. An object is to permit direct addition to the mix to boiling water, the retarded thickening properties apparently giving improved dispersibility.
As with the Bos patent, there is no reference to addition of the mix to pan drippings, nor to solving the problem of fat separation.
It is known to use an organic emulsifier or combination of emulsifiers to stabilize fat/water emulsions. Many common organic emulsifiers were tried, in the development of the present invention, but unsuccessfully. They appeared to be incompatible in the mixture and form distinct two-phase systems with liquid at the top.
It is also known to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions using proteins, for instance casein, where the protein forms a substantially continuous phase film at the interface between the oil and water. However, in the present instance, even with intensive mixing, the use of proteins such as non-fat dry milk proved not to be successful.
Accordingly, it is an object in the present invention to provide a dry mix composition which not only has good lump-free dispersibility when added to water and pan drippings, but which also is free of fat separation, particularly through a prolonged heat cycle involving (a) heating to boiling water temperature and (b) cooling to consuming temperature.